Bottle-capping machine.



Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

H., S. BRBWINGTON. BOTTLE GAPPINC- MACHINE.

APPLIOATION ULEB AUG. s. 1908.

WTNESSES NVENTOR UNITED STAIRS PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY S. BREWINGTON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

BOTTLE-CAPPING MACHINE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

Application filed August 3, 1908. Serial No. 456,576.

plng machines and machines of like characf ter, 'the object being' to automaticallj.7 secure f a sealing can on the head or mouth ot a bottle.

The particular kind of bottle which I cmploy as the most applicable, is that which has an exterior locking shoulder or bead on the head thereof, and thel kind of cap which is more particularly desired to be used and for which the crowning head is most applicable 1s a metallic cap having a depending` flange, the ilangeadapted to be locked under the shoulder or bead on the bottle head, thereby securing the canon the bottle by the use of 'the crowning head now about to be described. 4

It will be' observed that in the present invention I have provided a sleeve that encircles the plunger and the closing fingers; the function performed by this sleeve is as follows: First, it provides means to hold the closingl iingcrs in position in the groove of theI plunger, having,` a Haring lower end portion 1t operates as closing means for the iingers, iittlng around the fingers loosely and havini` -aspace at the top part separating the sleeve from the lower end portion of' the head, the

, sleeve is permitted tol rise a limited distance,

thus permitting the iingcrs at their lower end portion to be opened to receive the cap, the weight of the sleeve resting' on the lower pertion of the fingers being suiiicient to hold them in a closed position with suilicient resistance to retain the cap 4in proper position prior to being secured on the bottle head. The space above the sleeve at the upper end portion enables `the plunger to rise and at the saine time receive the pressure from the spring surrounding the upper part of the plunger before the fingers commence to close in on the cap, since, as the sleeve rises with the upper movement of the plunger', itfdoes not operateby closing against vthe :fingers `until it comes incontact with the lower end V l portion of the head.

,W y l tire length and 1s 4shown integral with the 'lhe diameter oi the lower end portion el the @dunner is slightly larger than that of thcbottle head, thus keeping the fingers open a suilicient distance so that in the descent of the phnnrcr on thel bottle head the lingers will be lient awa)v from the-head and will not close about the head until the cap 'is i'irmly seated thereon:

in lice/pingy the iinjacrs away from the bottle head unt-il thc cap has become seated thereon, and then. causing the fingers to close in and around the cap, by this construction the bottle head is protected until the final seal-- ing,` operation actually begins, at which time the cap ail'ords thc necessary protection to keep the bottles from lbeingl broken or the heads chipped or splintered during; the descentof the plunger. From actual observation it is found that more bottles are broken or injured by the descent of the plungers upon them than by the actual scaling encration. The form of cap most applicable for use by the machine is a cap having a concavo convex flange, which cap is adapted to be closed upon and under a bead on the bottle head by pressure being applied to the convex portion oi the ange. The commercial value of machines of this character d epends more orless upon the estimated breakage of bottles in the process of capping;l and with the object of eliminating' this objection as much as possible. I have invented the machine now about to be described.

With the foregoing object in-vicw, my invention consists in cert-ain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompan *ing drawings, Figure l is an elevation partly in section of a crowning head constructed in accordance witll'lny invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one ofthe closing lingers. Fi 4 is a sectional view of the sleeve, and Iig. 5 is a sectional view of the sealing cap.

A', represents an arm carried by any suitable machine imparting to the said arm a rerocating movement. liich is centrally bored throughout its en- B, the sealing headA said arm, although this need not necessarily be, as the head maybe made separate and secured to the arm by means too well known to those skilled in the art to demand fui-ther description here.

' 1, is a hollow plug exteriorly threaded. at 2,

and secured in the upper end 3 of the head by means of the head being inwardly threaded at 4 to receive it. -Thelug is 4inwardly threaded at 5 into which. is secured the set screw 6, which set screw is adjustably se cured .therein by means of the nut 7 therebject and purpose of this construction and adjustment will be hereinafter explained.

Below the'arni A and adjacent to the said head is a guide arin C, Secured within the stationary in t head B isa plun er 8, provided with an enlarged lower en portion 9; 10 is a spiral spring surroundingl the said plunger, supported by the enlarged end portion 9 thereof,-

the vupper end of which abuts against the lower end 11 of the plug 1. The enlarged end portion 9 of the plunger 8 is provided with a slot 12 extended therethrough, through which is fitted a pinl, which pin extends rthrough the head B and is secured e head, the slot reci rocates with respect to the pin, 'although t is construction mi ht be reversed without impairing the resu t obtained, the obljectbeing to limit the' reciprocation of the p unger 8, and secure. the plunger within the head.

The lower end of the enlarged end portion 9 of the plunger is reduced at 14, and is provided with a circumferential groove 15 ad- 'acent to the said enlargement, and a shoulder 16 below the same; the lower end of this reduced portion is provided with a concave face 17 for the purpose of centering the cap `18 onthe bottle (not shown) just prior to the sealing operation.

' Suspended from within the groove 15and supported'by the shoulder 16 are a series'of closing fingers -19, forming a segmental closing die E; these fingers are provided on-their upper end portions with4 round heads 20 conforming to the'diinensions of the groove 15 into which they are fitted. In the lower in ner face ends of the fingers is provided a groove 21 `adjacent to and on each side of which are provided the teeth 22. The lower end portions 23 of the fingers are consider-y ably enlarged and the outer faces thereof are tapered at 24 at an angle of about forty-five degrees. Surrounding the closing fingers 19, is a sleeve 25, the lower inner end portions of which are tapered at 26 to conform to and engage with the tapered'faces 24 of the fingers 19. Secured on the lower threaded end 27 of the head B, is a vguide 28, which supports therein the sleeve 25. -The length of the sleeve is made shorter than that of lie guide, so that aspace 29 is afforded between the lower end of the head and the upper end of cap is first ',arm, a head centrally the sleeve, one object bein` to permit the spreading or opening of the ngers for the insertion of the cap 18 into the groove 2,1 prior ,Y

to its being secured on the bottle head (not shown); they other and more important rea-` son is to'permit a downward pressure of the plunger to be brought upon the, cap below which a bottle (not shown) has been placed f and'thus insures a sealin contact between the bottle and cap before t ie final sealing op-l eration takes place by causing the fingers to close in and around-the ca which operation takes place as soon as t e upper end of the sleeve lis brought in contact with the lower end of the head, by reason of which the tapered edge 26 of the sleeve is made to engage with tlie tapered faces 24 ofthe fingers,

thus causing the fingers to close in and around, l the cap, and secure it on the bead ofthe bottle head (not shown).1

My invention is operated as follows: A laced within the die E, below the plunger an vheld therein by tliegrooves 21 in the series of fingers. placed below the 'pliuigen the head'B is made to descend, thereby causingl the plunger to ascend within the head, by the descent of the head beyond a given vpoint 26 of the sleeve 25 is brought into contact with the tapered face 24 ofthe closing fingers v19, -thereby closing therniii and around the flange of the cap, causing thefiange to be A bottle (not shown) is the tapered edge pressed under the bead on the bottle head. As

the head ascends, the pressure being released, the tension spring 10 will cause the plunger- `to descend, thereby causing the fingers to be Patent, is:

1. A`bottle, capping machine of the character described, comprising a reciprocating bored throughout'iits entire length andcarried thereby, a hollow plug adjustably secured in the upperend thereof, a solid reciprocating plunger secured.

head, means for reciprocating the plunger, a plurality of closin fingers carried on the lower end portion 0f t e said plunger, a reciprocating sleeve secured around the said within the closing, fingers, and vsupported thereby, ano

adapted to engage the said fingers and force' pirit and scope of my uwen-Il regulates `the tension of.: the

l l spring,

' acter described, comprising a p unger,

them inwardly toward la common center, a guide secured on the lower end of the said head inclosing the said sleeve, substantially as described.

2. A bottle capping machine of the character described, comprising areciprocating arm, a head centrally bored throughout its entire length and carried thereby, a solid plunger secured within the head, a tension spring secuied around the said plunger', means for adjusting the tension on said means for limiting the reciprocation of the said plunger, a segmental closing die composed of a plurality of closing fingers around which is secured a reciprocating sleeve, carried on the lower end of the said and lmeans providedon the said fingers for supporting the said sleeve thereon. the said sleeve adapted to engage the said fingers and force them inwardly toward a common center, substantially as described.

3. A bottle capping machine of the charreciprocating arm, a head centrally bored throughout its entire length and carried thereby, a'guide arm secured to the head, a solid reciprocating plunger securedwithin the head, means for limiting the reciprocation thereof, a plurality of segmental closing fingers carried on the lower end portion of the said plunger, a reciprocating sleeve ,secured aroundV the said closing fingers and'adapted to be engaged therewith, aguide secured on the lower end portion ofthe said head surrounding the said sleeve, subs antially as described.

4. A machine of the character described.

. comprising a reciprocating arm, a head centrally bored throughout its entire length and carried thereby, a solid plunger enlarged on the lower end portion. thereof, a plurality of closing fingers carried by the said plunger, a reciprocating sleeve secu red around the said closing fingers means on the said fingers for supporting the said sleeve in position, and means for reciprocating the said plunger,

` thereby causing the said sleeve to engage 'the said fingers and force them inwardly toward a common center, substantially as described. i b. A machine of the charactervdescribed,

"50i cohiprising a reciprocating arm, a head centrally bored throughout itsh entire length and carried thereby, a reciprocating solid plunger secured within the head, means for limiting the'reciprocation. thereof, and means for adjusting the reciprocation of the plunger within the limit afforded by the means. of limitation, a plurality of closing fingers secured on the end portion of the said plunger, the said fingers being provided with enlarged end portions, the inner faces of which are provided :with a circumferential groove and a plurality of teeth adjacent thereto, the exterior faces of which are tapered, a reciprocating sleeve secured around the said fingers, and

means on the fingers for supportingetlieqsaid reciprocating sleeve thereon, substantially s,

lower end portion thereof, a,circumfereiitial-v groove provided in the lower end portion of the said plunger, a plurality of closing fing,

gers secured within the groove, a reciprocating sleevesecured around guide inclosing the said sleeve, substantially as described.

7. Al machine of the character described, comprising a reciprocating arm, a head centrally bored throughout its entire length, and

a reciprocating solid plungercarried thereby, secured within the head, a plurality of close ing fingers, means on the lower end of the said plunger for supporting the said closing fin- "gers, a reciprocating sleeve tapered on the flower inner end portion thereof andsecured aroundV the saidfingers, a follower, and means for securing the said guide to the said head, substantially as described.

8. A machine of the character described,

comprising a solid plunger, a segmental closing die composed of a plurality of independ ent closing fingers carried thereby, a circumferential groove.

thereto, the exterior end portion of the said fingers being enlarged and provided with a tapered face, means for securing the-.said

fingers on the said plunger, a reciprocating sleeve surrounding the said fingers and adapted`to engage with the exterior tapered faces thereon, and means on the fingers forV supporting the said sleeve in position, substantially as described.

9. A bottle capping machine of the character described, comprising a solid plun er, a

segmental closing die carried on the ower end portion thereof, a reciprocating sleeve loosely surrounding the said closing die and adapted to engage therewith, thereby forcing the said closing die inwardly to a common center, by the ascent of the said plunger and thereby causing the said sleeve to engage with the said closing die, substantially'as described. A

the said fingers, a

provided in the inner. face thereof, a plurality of teeth adjacent.

10. A bottle capping machine of the charactor described, comprising a yielding solid plunger, a groove provided in the lower end portion thereof, a plurality of individual closingjfingers secured within the groove.- a reciprocating sleeve loosely surrounding the fingers and adapted to force the fingers to ward a corn in on center by the upward move nient of the plunger wherebya cap is secured to the head of a bottle, substantially as; de-4 scribed. i

n 11. A boptle capping -n iacliine of the chardesorlbed, comprlsing a ielding solid ich of, a plurality of individual fingers secred within the groove, a reciprocating sleeve loosely surrounding the fingers, means for securing a sealing contact between a cap and bottle head prior to securing the flange in presence of two Witnesses.

. Vitnesses:

of the cap in final sealing Contact withA L bottle head, snbstantiall as described. l0

In testimony whereof affix my signature HENRY S. BREWINGTON:

MARY M. MAGRAW, KATHERINE M. MANNION. 

